Treatment of fluids with wave energy from a carbon arc

ABSTRACT

A method of and apparatus for treating liquids flowing in a thin film around a source of wave energy to directly expose the liquid to the wave energy, preferably generated in whole or part by an electrical arc between carbon electrodes. In addition to the wave energy generated by the electrical arc, energy generated by cavitation of the flowing liquid may be used in treating the liquid.

PRIORITY CLAIM AND RELATED APPLICATION DATA

This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 12/166,408 filed on Jul. 2, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,088,290,which is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/935,786 filed on Sep. 7, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,422,695, which isa non-provisional application of U.S. provisional patent application No.60/500,445, filed on Sep. 5, 2003. All of the foregoing applications arehereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

This patent application is related to: (a) U.S. Pat. No. 7,578,937; (b)U.S. Pat. No. 7,622,693; (c) U.S. Pat. No. 7,857,972; (d) U.S. Pat. No.7,897,053; (e) U.S. Pat. No. 7,985,342; (f) U.S. Pat. No. 8,002,942; (g)U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/784,327 filed on Apr. 5, 2007,pending; (h) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/577,130 filed on Oct.9, 2009, pending; (i) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/577,166 filedon Oct. 10, 2009, pending; (j) U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/949,745 filed on Oct. 18, 2010, pending; (k) U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/186,563 filed on Jul. 10, 2011, pending; (l) U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/186,755 filed on Jul. 10, 2011, pending; (m)U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/186,772 filed on Jul. 20, 2011,pending; (n) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/215,207 filed on Aug.22, 2011, pending; and (o) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/215,223filed on Aug. 22, 2011, pending.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to devices and methods used totreat fluids with wave energy, and in its preferred embodiments moreparticularly relates to the treatment of fluids with wave energygenerated by a carbon arc.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The term “wave energy” is used herein to include radiation as well aswave energies transmitted by various mediums, and embraceselectromagnetic waves or radiations; sonic, supersonic, and ultrasonicwaves; neutrons, protons, deuterons, and other corpuscular radiations.

The term “electromagnetic waves” includes, e.g., X-ray, gamma-ray,ultraviolet, infra red, and visible light rays, and short electric andradio waves. These definitions and terms are consistent with those usedby the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for classification purposes.

Electromagnetic radiation (EMR) is one of the most pervasive forms ofwave energy known and used by man. Sunlight, both within and beyond thevisible spectrum, is one example of EMR wave energy that has been highlybeneficial to man, and all life on earth. Man has harnessed the benefitsof EMR through the development of such great inventions as the lightbulb, X-rays and radio waves. Another utilization of wave energy,welding, has been an important factor in the development of moderntechnologies. Similarly, the steel industry grew rapidly due to anotherwave energy technology known as the electric arc, used for melting ironore and converting it to steel.

Although the industrial revolution has brought about the luxuries andsimplicities of life there has been a world-wide downside—pollution.Nowadays, it is common to find many waterways, drinking water sources,air and soils contaminated with pollutants. Although many technologieshave been developed for removing contaminants from water and air, moreand more engineers and scientists are turning to ultraviolet (UV) lightsystems for treating fluids.

One of the greatest inventions of all time is the light bulb. One of theearliest forms, Thomas Edison's carbon arc light bulb, has all but fadedinto extinction. A few very large carbon arc systems such as World WarII vintage carbon arc searchlights are available today as rebuilt units.However, in general carbon arc lights are not utilized today forindustrial and residential lighting, as searchlights or forphotochemical reaction type applications. The carbon arc light bulb hasbeen almost entirely replaced for those purposes by fluorescent bulbs,high pressure mercury vapor lamps, compact ceramic lamps and highpressure xenon lamps.

Another form of wave energy is sonic energy, and particularly ultrasonicenergy. Ultrasonic waves are more commonly referred to as ultrasound.Ultrasound plays an important role in medical diagnostics, submarinesonar, ship sonar, non-destructive testing of metal, and cleaningequipment.

Photochemical reactions are well known and well documented. The use ofelectromagnetic radiation(EMR) particularly within the ultraviolet (UV)region, between 4 to 400 nanometers (nm), for treatment of fluids suchas disinfection of drinking water and wastewater, free radicalgeneration (hydroxyl radicals, chlorine radicals, etc.) and removal ofnoxious air contaminants such as VOCs, NOx, SOx from flue gas (off gas,tail gas) has gained in popularity over the past decade. In addition,advanced UV processes such as Advanced Oxidation, which incorporates UVlight with an oxidant such as ozone or hydrogen peroxide, generate freeradicals for decomposition of contaminants. Another UV art, which israpidly receiving attention, is PhotoCatalytic Oxidation (PCO). PCOtechnology incorporates a semi-conductor catalyst in combination with UVradiation for generation of free radicals. PCO technology can usesunlight since the photons of interest for the most commonphotocatalyst, TiO₂, lies between 320 to 400 nm and more specifically atabout 365 nm.

Although there are many methods and devices known in the art, theirapplications are specific and limited. It is highly unlikely, forexample, that an EMR device used for water disinfection can be used forair purification. Likewise, a PCO device designed for air disinfectionhas significant drawbacks when an attempt is made to utilize thattechnology in a liquid environment. This can be clearly demonstrated bya close review of the prior art.

There are a number of major obstacles which have not been overcome bythe prior art. One major obstacle is residence time versus absorbance.The result of the failure of the prior art to overcome this obstacle isperceived by the end-user (customer) as a problem of “not having enoughlights,” of “light penetration,” and/or of “excessive energyrequirements (inefficient)”. When a photochemical reactor is designedand built for a specific set of parameters, the actual parameters inwhich the reactor is operated are variable and often change after thereactor put into service. Operators must make do with the photochemicalreactor or the reactor is taken out of operation and decommissioned.

Given the past inadequacies of wave energy systems, in particular EMRsystems employing UV/visible radiation, many designs have incorporatedmore lights, transparent glass sleeve wipers, redundant systems, ormethods, which allows for more/better contact between the contaminantsand the photons or the photocatalyst and the photons. However, thechanges still do not overcome the problem of residence time versusabsorbance. Thus, if the problems associated with both residence timeand absorbance can be eliminated or solved, then an ideal photochemicalreactor as well as method (for photochemical reactions) can be designedfor many different applications. The problem of absorbance is inverselyproportional to EMR transmission.

A number of attempts to advance the technology and to overcome problemsand drawbacks in this field have been made, and are reflected in anumber of patent documents.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,477—dated Dec. 21, 1976, discloses a device fornon-rigid connection of two rigid cylindrical pipes, which comprise thecombined use of flexible double lipped gaskets and toroid flexiblegaskets surrounding a bulb-shaped zone formed in one of the pipes. Thedevice is particularly useful for fastening fragile tubes containinglight emitters to metal reactors used for photochemical processes.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,002,918—dated Jan. 11, 1977, discloses an apparatus forthe irradiation of fluids in which the fluid is conducted along thewalls of a container having walls which are permeable for the radiationto which the fluid is exposed. Radiation sources are arranged around thecontainer and an active rotor is disposed within the container. Therotor consists of a body having axial bores and pins movably disposed inthe bores and adapted to engage with their front ends the containerwalls thereby to wipe any deposits from the container walls duringrotation of the rotor.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,317,041—dated Feb. 23, 1982, discloses variousembodiments of photo-reactors in which there are at least two radiationchambers with a window arranged therebetween. UV radiation is introducedinto one of the chambers at a side opposite the window so that it passesthrough that chamber, through the window and into the other chamber. Thefluid medium to be purified is passed through the chambers and subjectedto the radiation while in the chambers. The flow of the medium isthrough the chambers in series in some embodiments and in parallel inothers. An embodiment is disclosed wherein a recirculation line isestablished around the reactor with the recirculation being continuousor intermittent. When intermittent the purified fluid medium also isdrawn off intermittently, between the periods of recirculation. In someembodiments, the amount of radiation traversing all the chambers ismonitored. If the monitored amount drops below a given amount, theapparatus is shut down. Alternatively, the rate of flow of the medium isadjusted, based on that monitored amount, with the rate of flowincreasing or decreasing, respectively, in response to increases ordecreases in that amount.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,476,105—dated Oct. 9, 1984, relates to a process forproducing gaseous hydrogen and oxygen from water. The process isconducted in a photolytic reactor which contains a water-suspension of aphotoactive material containing a hydrogen-liberating catalyst. Thereactor also includes a column for receiving gaseous hydrogen and oxygenevolved from the liquid phase. To avoid oxygen-inactivation of thecatalyst, the reactor is evacuated continuously by an external pumpwhich circulates the evolved gases through means for selectivelyrecovering hydrogen therefrom. The pump also cools the reactor byevaporating water from the liquid phase. Preferably, product recovery iseffected by selectively diffusing the hydrogen through a heatedsemipermeable membrane, while maintaining across the membrane a magneticfield gradient which biases the oxygen away from the heated membrane.This promotes separation, minimizes the back-reaction of hydrogen andoxygen, and protects the membrane.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,126,111—dated Jun. 30, 1992, discloses a method ofremoving, reducing or detoxifying organic pollutants from a fluid, wateror air, by contacting the fluid with a photoreactive metal semiconductormaterial in the presence of ultraviolet light of a wavelength toactivate the photoreactive material. This is improved by simultaneouslycontacting the photoreactive material with a substance that acceptselectrons and thus inhibits hole-electron recombination. Such substancewill be such as to readily accept electrons either from the conductionband or from superoxide ions, and to rapidly dissociate into harmlessproducts.

Still other photoreactors are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,567,921;3,769,517; 3,924,246; 4,296,066; 4,381,978; 4,454,835; 4,488,935;4,544,470; 4,774,026; 4,863,608; 4,868,127; 4,957,773; 5,045,288;5,094,815; and 5,149,377.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,652 (Sczechowski, et al.) issued on Aug. 8, 1995states that a Beer's law type expression was found for the transmittedlight as a function of the TiO₂loading. From this relationship, thecalculated light penetration depth for the 0.4% (by weight) Degussa TiO₂slurry used in these experiments was approximately 1 mm.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,994,705 (Cooke, et al) issued on Nov. 30, 1999 is acontinuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/946,647, filed on Oct. 7,1997 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,866,910 which is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 08/438,234, filed on May. 9, 1995, now U.S. Pat.No. 5,696,380 discloses a flow-through photochemical reactor includes areactor body, which circumscribes a longitudinally extending channelhaving a generally annular cross section. This channel accommodatesfluids passing between an inner wall of the reactor body and an outerwall of a photon-transmitting tube that is housed internally thereof. Inaddition, the reactor includes mechanically static, fluid-dynamicelements for passively inducing substantial turbulent flow within afluid as it passes through the channel. This arrangement substantiallyincreases the uniformity of the fluid's exposure to photons radiatingfrom a source within the tube into the fluid and it is conducted throughthe channel.

Calgon Corporation's U.S. Pat. No. 6,565,803 issued to Bolton, et al. onMay. 20, 2003 and titled, “Method for the inactivation ofcryptosporidium parvum using ultraviolet light,” has a major drawback.The system utilizes mercury vapor bulbs housed in a quartz tube. Mercuryis a pollutant that is transferred via the food chain. Any UV systemincorporating a “bulb” is prone to burn out. Further, the glass orquartz envelope and the bulb become solarized due to the UV light.Consequently, dosages as specified within the '803 patent may not besufficient to inactivate cryptosporidium.

Many other types of wave energy apparatuses are known in the prior art,but none of the known prior art utilizes the approaches encompassedwithin the scope of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, which will be described in detail below, providessuperior wave energy delivery to the fluid to be treated, a superiormethod for stripping and destroying volatiles in situ and a method forsubjecting fluids, contaminants and pathogens to at least three forms ofwave energy simultaneously. As a result, the pervasive prior art problemof absorbance or path length of wave energy through the fluid isovercome by the present invention. A significant, and novel focus of thepresent invention is in the treatment of fluids with wave energygenerated by a carbon arc, but the novelty of the invention is notlimited to the carbon arc treatment approach. In addition, the presentinvention provides a means for treating matter with several forms ofwave energy, including ultrasound. Without limiting the scope of theinvention or the purposes for which the invention may be advantageouslyused, the present invention may be generally described as encompassing amethod, apparatus, and means of constructing such apparatus, fortreating a fluid subject to wave energy absorbance within a conduit,wherein several forms of wave energy are combined synergistically withinthe conduit to effectively treat the fluid.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device fortreating fluids which is capable of subjecting the fluid to severalforms of wave energy.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a device fortreating fluids with wave energy at wavelengths, focus, intensity andresidence times that is superior to prior methods.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a photochemicalreactor apparatus that is superior to photochemical reactors known inthe prior art.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a waveenergy reactor which installs easily into existing structures.

It is still further an object of the present invention is to provide amethod, which overcomes residence time and absorbance phenomenaassociated with photochemical reactions.

The method(s), apparatus, and means of the invention will be describedin detail with reference to the accompanying drawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and further advantages of the invention may be betterunderstood by referring to the following description in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 depicts the treatment of fluids with a carbon arc in accordancewith one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 depicts a carbon arc in a cyclone separator in accordance withanother embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 depicts a carbon arc in a gas-sparged hydrocyclone in accordancewith another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 depicts a carbon arc in a gas-sparged pipe with tangential flowin accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Prior art wave energy, in particular EMR, devices and methods, aredesigned for a given flow rate range. Simply put, the photochemicalreactor has a known volume, and based upon the volume of the reactor thenumber of EMR sources which are needed to effect a reaction over aspecified time period is calculated and commonly referred to asresidence time (RT). Normally the EMR sources are continuous wavesources such as long linear low-pressure mercury arc lamps, mediumpressure mercury lamps and short-arc HgXe lamps. Since these lamps arerated in watts, then the joules/second emitted from the lamps can bemultiplied by the RT to specify an effective dose (watts/second/volume)to the treated fluid.

For example, the amount of radiation necessary to deactivate bacteria isknown. Thus, simply by working backwards from this known value, incombination with the average population density of the bacteria, thevariable or number of EMR sources and size of the reactor may be easilycalculated. However, problems arise when bacteria counts increase fromthe assumed average value. Either a second reactor must be installed ormore lights must be added to the existing reactor.

Another example, which will further clarify the current problems withprior art approaches, is the photochemical reaction between chlorine andhydrogen. The amount of energy necessary to cleave diatomic chlorineinto its constituent radicals is about 243 KJ/mole. Thus, the amount ofenergy necessary to remove hydrogen within a chlorine stream within achlor-alkali plant can be calculated.

Finally, a third example, which will help clarify the current problemswith prior art, is the photochemical reaction for removal ofcontaminants from flue gas. One such contaminant, sulfur dioxide, whenexposed to UV radiation in the presence of oxygen, will form sulfurtrioxide. The sulfur trioxide can be reacted with fly ash for removal byan electrostatic precipitator.

In all three situations, the ideal system would allow for a conversionefficiency of greater than 99.9%. However, based upon current prior artdesigns and methods, scaling up from a bench scale test to an actualplant application is not practical or affordable, nor is the 99.9%conversion realistically attainable.

The Beer-Lambert Law can be applied to clearly show that a lamp placedinside a conduit would be an ineffective photochemical reactor. TheBeer-Lambert Law and associated equation is significant to photochemicalor wave energy reactor design. Although the following equation isstraightforward, it is often misunderstood and incorrectly used.A=εbc

-   -   where: A is absorbance (no units);        -   ε is the molar absorbtivity with units of L/mole/cm;        -   b is the path length of the sample (or photochemical reactor            length); and            -   c is the concentration of the compounds in the solution                with units of moles/liter.

Within this law, absorbance is directly proportional to the otherparameters. The law indicates that the fraction of the radiationabsorbed by each layer of the fluid is the same. The equation, “A=εbc”tells a photochemical reactor designer that absorbance depends on thetotal quantity of the absorbing compound in the radiation path throughthe photochemical reactor. Thus, if a designer refers to percenttransmission (% T) an exponential curve can be generated comparing % Tto path length. However, if absorbance is plotted against concentration,a straight line emerges. Thus, the linear relationship betweenconcentration and absorbance is both simple and straightforward.

However, as omni-directional wave energy travels away from its source ina given vessel, in accordance with “A=εbc”, the number of photons nearthe wall of the vessel has decreased, but the concentration ofcontaminants within the fluid is equal at any distance from theomni-directional lamp. Thus, if this reactor is designed for bacterialdisinfection, the bacteria near the wave energy source receive a greateramount of energy than the bacteria near the wall of the vessel. As aresult, bacteria kill is higher near the wave energy source anddecreases by the square of the distance from the lamp.

Since this is an omni-directional lamp it follows the inverse squarelaw, which states that the intensity of light observed from a source ofconstant intrinsic luminosity falls off in direct proportion to thesquare of the distance from the object. As an example, if 16 W/cm.sup.2is measured at a distance of 1 meter from a source, 4 W/cm² will bemeasured at 2 meters. The intensity can be similarly calculated at anyother distance. The inverse square law is applicable to variations inintensity without regard to direction from the light source only incases where the light source approximates a point source. However, thesame principle is useful in understanding the decrease in intensity thatoccurs outward from a linear source, such as an elongate bulb, in adirection normal to the axis of the elongate source.

In the context of treating fluids with wave energy, another significantfactor that has a significant effect on treatment efficacy is thedistance that a given wave energy particle, such as a UV light photonwill travel through a material. For example, UV light with a wavelengthof 253.7 nm can penetrate water to a depth of over 24 inches, but a verythick aluminum foil will block UV light completely. Accordingly, all UVlight treatment systems are subject to the disadvantages and obstaclesrelated to absorbance, or penetration distance through the fluid beingtreated. Penetration distance is also referred to as path length.Because of these factors, it can be understood that increasing thereactor volume to increase fluid residence time does not affect orchange path length, and does not necessarily improve treatmenteffectiveness.

With these factors in mind the present invention can be more readilyunderstood and its novelty and significance more readily appreciated.The present invention overcomes the problems of diminishing intensityand of path length by exposing a thin layer of fluid to wave energy inclose proximity to the energy source. Referring now to FIG. 1, a vessel10 capable of producing vortex flow as shown by arrow A, such as afunnel or cyclone, is utilized to produce a thin film of liquid flowingon the vessel wall around a gas core. When a liquid such as water isintroduced into the funnel via inlet 11 in a vortex fashion A, a centralcore forms which is devoid of water. Carbon arc rods 20 and 21 arelocated within the central core. When in operation the carbon arc 30,which extends between the proximate tips of the carbon rods, producesdeep UV light 31 for treating the water. The water is discharged fromthe funnel via an exit 12.

A vessel well suited for creating a vortex for use in the presentinvention for disinfecting and sterilizing utilizing induced cavitationis disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,019,947, issued to Kucherov on Feb. 1,2000, and titled, “Method and Apparatus for Sterilization of aContinuous Liquid Flow.” The disclosure of the Kucherov patent isincorporated into the present description in its entirety. Theimprovement of the present invention over the teaching of the Kucherov'947 patent includes, without limitation, the factor that the carbon arcof the present invention adds two additional forms of wave energy forsterilization--UV light and free radicals or electrons.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, a cyclone separator 10 can easily be modifiedfor the present invention. The carbon rods 20 and 21 are inserted in theunderflow 12 and overflow 13 of the cyclone separator 10. The carbon arc30 is formed between the rods within the core of the cyclone separator.

FIG. 3 illustrates an arrangement in which a hydrocyclone with a porouswall 14, referred to as an air-sparged hydrocyclone, can be used as thevessel 10 for practicing the present invention. The motivations forusing an air/gas sparged hydrocyclone are to aid in stripping volatilesfrom the fluid and induce cavitation, in addition to the creation of athin fluid film. It is known that air-sparged hydrocyclones can striphydroscopic molecules, such as alcohols, from water. Further, the airboundary layer between the sparging surface and the fluid reducesfriction, thus allowing the fluid to achieve and maintain highervelocities at lower pump pressures. This has a highly desirable effectif the fluid achieves a velocity sufficient to cavitate. Cavitation isthe formation of bubbles in a liquid, followed by a subsequent collapseof the bubble. Cavitation can be viewed as a form of wave energy,because the cavitation creates sonic waves and sonic energy is a form ofwave energy.

It is well known and well understood that cavitation can “kill”pathogens, produce chemical reactions and mix the fluid thoroughly. Inaddition, the thoroughly mixed fluid travels through a gas-spargedhydrocyclone in a corkscrew or vortex path, but as a very thin layer.This thin layer results in a very short penetration distance that mustbe achieved by the wave energy to achieve effective treatment throughthe full thickness of liquid. Consequently, the available path lengthfor the wave energy in the treated fluid ceases to be a limitation ontreatment effectiveness, and maximum absorption of wave energy will beachieved. It should be understood that wave energy path length andpenetration distance are not related to or necessarily affected by thelength of the vessel.

When the velocity of the liquid in a thin film air-sparged hydrocycloneis sufficient to produce cavitation in the liquid, the high level ofwave energy from cavitation, in combination with the wave energygenerated by the unconfined carbon arc in accordance with the presentinvention, can dramatically enhance the performance of wave energy basedliquid treatment. The addition of the carbon arc system described aboveto any gas sparger system will also provide dramatic treatmentimprovements from the expanded range of wave energies generated by theunconfined carbon arc.

Graphite rods are manufactured in sizes ranging from welding roddiameters of 0.125 inches to diameters of 6 feet for carbon rodscommonly used in electric arc furnaces. Since World War II vintagecarbon arc searchlights are widely available, the apparatus of thepresent invention can easily be constructed from that supply of surplussearchlights. Any DC power source can be used to create a carbon arcfrom graphite rods. A simple solar powered battery can be used as the DCsource for the carbon arc, which enables the utilization of inexpensivedisinfection systems for treating, e.g., drinking water, in remote areasas well as third world countries. The present invention also provides ameans for a compact, but extremely powerful, wave energy system fordisinfecting high flow rate streams such as ship ballast water and largemunicipal drinking water and wastewater plant effluent. In contrast totypical UV light systems, the present invention is not limited in sizedue to lamp construction, nor in performance due to solarization of aquartz lamp envelope. In addition, maximum transfer of wave energyoccurs in the present invention, since the present invention uses anopen arc. Furthermore, the present invention makes use of all the formsof wave energy produced from the carbon arc and not simply just the UVlight irradiated from the plasma or tip of the hot carbon rod.

The utilization of a gas-sparged hydrocyclone as the vessel within thescope of the present invention is not simply for the cavitation andstripping effects. The ReveX™MTU, for example, produces a very thinfluid film. In combination with the thin fluid layer, the fluid flows ina spiral path around and along the longitudinal axis of the porous tube14 component of that apparatus. This produces a dramatic increase inliquid residence time within the reactor in comparison to linear flowthrough a reactor of the same length, and allows the use of a compactreactor with a much higher effective treatment capacity than is possiblewith reactors of the prior art.

The following non-limiting examples of treatment applications in whichthe present invention may be used are provided to demonstrate the rangeof utility of the invention as well as the novelty of the inventiveconcept. These examples also illustrate the extremely urgent need forsuch an invention in the context of health and environmental safetyissues.

Mycobacteria in Metal Working Fluids

Environmentally opportunistic mycobacteria, have been implicated inoutbreaks of a variety of respiratory problems in a wide variety ofsettings. One common feature of the outbreaks has been exposure toaerosols. Aerosols are generated from metal working fluids duringmachining and grinding operations as well as from other sources such asindoor swimming pools, hot tubs, and water-damaged buildings. In theindustrial setting, an estimated 1.2 million workers in the UnitedStates are exposed to aerosols generated by metal grinding, and thefinancial and social impacts of respiratory problems experienced bythese workers are substantial. Mycobacteria are readily aerosolized andare resistant to disinfection. In the vast majority of outbreaks ofrespiratory problems attributed to aerosolized mycobacteria, the watersources of the aerosols had been disinfected. In fact, it is believedthat conventional disinfection may select for the predominance andgrowth of mycobacteria.

The present invention provides the ability to subject fluids such asmetal working fluids to a plurality of wave energy sources, andaccordingly shows great promise for effective elimination and control ofmycobacteria and other biological contaminants in those fluids. Thoughmycobacteria can survive chemical disinfection, it is believed that thebacterial will not survive exposure to the combination of UV radiationand free electrons from the carbon arc of the present invention,especially with the further combination of sonic wave energy fromcavitation effects. Elimination or reduction of respiratory problems inthe work place associated with metal working fluids will havesignificant financial benefits in affected industries, as well assignificant social benefits from the reduction of those health problems.

Poultry Chiller Water

Statistically, each person in the United States consumes 44 kg (96 lb)of poultry meat annually. Poultry accounts for about 36% of meatconsumption, second only to beef in the American diet. The wholesomenessof poultry products has a profound impact on public safety and health.The U.S. poultry industry produced 20 billion pounds of chicken and 6billion pounds of turkey each year. Almost all poultry products areproduced in “ready-to-cook” forms from automated plants of multimillionbird capacity. In these plants birds are slaughtered, defeathered,eviscerated, rinsed, chilled, and packed. Chilling carcasses rapidly tobelow 40° F. is crucial for minimizing microbial growth and preservingcarcass quality. It is accomplished by immersing rinsed carcasses in icywater in one, two, or three long tanks, the chillers. Many processorsuse chlorine to control microbial populations in poultry chiller water(PCW). Presently, chlorine and its hydration products, hypochlorous acidand hypochlorite, are the only disinfectants permitted by the regulatoryagencies for use in PCW (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1993).

Poultry chiller water is known for its high content of organic matter.Chlorination of PCW results in the formation of trihalomethanes,primarily chloroform, and other mutagenic compounds that have yet to beidentified. Although the health impact of these potentially deleteriouscompounds has not been established, providing alternative methods fordisinfecting PCW is highly desirable. Further, the recycling of chillerwater may offer a way to prevent environmental pollution while helpingto conserve valuable water resources.

It is believed that treatment of PCW with the high intensity UVradiation and free electrons generated by the carbon arc of the presentinvention, especially when the PCW is controlled to be exposed to thosewave energies in a thin film in close proximity to the energy sourcewill overcome the prior art disadvantages of intensity and path lengthand result in safe and effective disinfection of the PCW. The treatmenteffectiveness can be enhanced within the scope of the present inventionby further combining the sonic wave energy associated with cavitationwith the carbon arc wave energies by conducting the treatment in, e.g.,the Revex™ MTU apparatus.

Marine Ballast Water

Invasive aquatic species are one of the four greatest threats to theworld's oceans, and can cause extremely severe environmental, economicand public health impacts. The introduction of invasive marine speciesinto new environments by ships' ballast water has been identified as oneof the four greatest threats to the world's oceans. Shipping moves over80% of the world's commodities and transfers approximately 3 to 5billion tons of ballast water internationally each year. A similarvolume may also be transferred domestically within countries and regionseach year. Ballast water is absolutely essential to the safe andefficient operation of modern shipping, providing balance and stabilityto un-laden ships. However, it may also pose a serious ecological,economic and health threat.

Reballasting at sea, as recommended by the IMO guidelines, currentlyprovides the best-available measure to reduce the risk of transfer ofharmful aquatic organisms, but is subject to serious ship-safety limits.Even when it can be fully implemented, this technique is less than 100%effective in removing organisms from ballast water. Some parties evensuggest that reballasting at sea may itself contribute to the widerdispersal of harmful species, and that island states located‘down-stream’of mid-ocean reballasting areas may be at particular riskfrom this practice. It is therefore extremely important thatalternative, effective ballast water management and/or treatment methodsare developed as soon as possible, to replace reballasting at sea.

MTBE in Drinking Water

MTBE, a gasoline additive, has contaminated many aquifers. Due to itshigh solubility it is extremely difficult to remove from water. However,when a carbon arc is incorporated in the central core of, preferably,the Revex™ MTU, it is believed that the combination of cavitation energywith UV light energy and free electrons from the carbon arc will have asynergistic effect for the removal and/or decomposition of MTBE withoutthe necessity of removing it from the water. Without being bound bytheory, it is believed that oxidants such as free radicals, hydrogenperoxide and ozone will form from cavitation and from the contact of airwith the carbon arc plasma. As a result, the MTBE will be oxidized tocarbon dioxide and water.

Pathogens such as Anthrax and Legionella in Drinking Water and/or Air

The synergistic affect of cavitation, UV light, and insitu generatedoxidants produced by the apparatus of the present invention will have adeleterious affect on pathogens such as anthrax and legionella. Thepresent invention can be used in a dual approach by scrubbing air toremove pathogens and then recirculating the liquid for a pathogen kill.

Paint Booth VOCs

Typically, a downdraft waterfall scrubber is used to scrub VOCs from airexiting from a paint point. As a result, the water is contaminated withVOCs. Without being bound by theory it is believed that the use of,preferably, the Revex™ MTU in the present invention will achieve atransfer of the VOCs from the water into the carbon arc core. The VOCswithin the core will be thermally oxidized. This illustrates that thepresent invention can be utilized as a thermal oxidizer.

Spent Caustic

Spent caustic solutions generated from refineries and petrochemicalfacilities are usually considered a hazardous waste due to the presenceof benzene. It is believed that the present invention, utilizing,preferably, Revex™ MTU apparatus, can clean the spent caustic bystripping the benzene from the caustic solution and subsequentlydecomposing the benzene within the apparatus with the carbon arc plasma.

COD-Chemical Oxygen Demand

Not being bound by theory it is believed that the carbon arc/gas-spargedhydrocyclone system can reduce COD in industrial wastewater. To theextent that the COD is not completely oxidized to carbon dioxide andwater, it is believed that the present invention will convert COD intoorganic matter that can be decomposed in a biological wastewatertreatment facility.

The foregoing description of the apparatus and methods of the inventionin preferred and alternative embodiments and variations, and theforegoing examples of processes for which the invention may bebeneficially used, are intended to be illustrative and not for purposesof limitation. The invention is susceptible to still further variationsand alternative embodiments within the full scope of the invention,recited in the following claims.

1. An apparatus for treating a chemically or biologically contaminatedfluid using wave energy comprising: a hydrocyclone having an overflowdisposed in a first end, an underflow disposed in a second end, andconfigured to create a flow of the chemically or biologicallycontaminated fluid in a thin film along a vortex path from the first endto the second end of the hydrocyclone; a first electrode extendingthrough the overflow and a second electrode extending through theunderflow, wherein both electrodes are at least partially disposedwithin the hydrocyclone, spaced apart from one another, and axiallyaligned with one another along a central axis of the hydrocyclone fromthe first end to the second end; and wherein the electrodes are used tocreate an open electrical arc to provide a wave energy directly exposingthe chemically or biologically contaminated fluid as the chemically orbiologically contaminated fluid flows along the vortex path in closeproximity to and surrounding the electrical arc such that only a gasseparates the chemically or biologically contaminated fluid from theopen electrical arc.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electrodescomprise carbon.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wave energycomprises ultraviolet light, infrared light, visible light, sonic waves,supersonic waves, ultrasonic waves, electrons or cavitations.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the wave energy comprises ultravioletlight, infrared light and electrons.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the chemically or biologically contaminated fluid comprises afluid containing MTBE, a fluid containing one or more pathogens, a fluidcontaining bacteria, a fluid containing mycobacteria, a fluid containingVOC's, a poultry chiller fluid, a marine ballast fluid, a spent causticsolution or a combination thereof.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, furthercomprising a DC power source connected to the electrodes.
 7. Theapparatus of claim 6, wherein the DC power source comprises one or morebatteries or one or more solar powered batteries.
 8. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the hydrocyclone comprises a gas-sparged hydrocyclone.